California Law To Raise Kindergarten Eligibility Age.
The __San Diego Union-Tribune__ (10/5, Persinger) reports that California officials expect the Kindergarten Readiness Act of 2010, now signed into law, "to reduce the current 460,000 kindergarten students each year by 120,000 children once it is fully phased in. ... Under the law, the [kindergarten] eligibility date will move up by one month each year until 2014, when only children who turn 5 years old by Sept. 1 will be allowed to enroll." According to the Union-Tribune, "Supporters of the law say the youngest kindergartners lack the physical, emotional and even intellectual maturity to deal with today's kindergarten, which focuses more on academics than finger painting."
Los Angeles Bemoans Exclusion From Layoff Negotiations.
The __Los Angeles Times__ (9/7, Blume, Song) reports that leaders of the United Teachers Los Angeles (UTLA) yesterday "angrily denounced" an agreement between the Los Angeles BOE and the ACLU "that would result in sweeping changes to teacher seniority protections." Though the UTLA "was a defendant in [a] lawsuit" filed by the ACLU "over layoff procedures that effectively decimated the staffs of three schools serving low-income minority students," the teachers union "was not involved in the negotiations that led to Tuesday's resolution." Regarding the tentative agreement, UTLA President A.J. Duffy said, "The policy is disturbing and it's disturbing because we weren't involved in the process. .. We should have been consulted and we weren't. There is a growing pattern within the district and the board majority to leave teachers out of the discussion and the debate."
Debate Centers On Whether To Specifically Address Anti-Gay Bullying In Schools The __AP__ (10/10, Crary) reported that "a spate of teen suicides linked to anti-gay harassment is prompting school officials nationwide to rethink their efforts against bullying -- and in the process, risk entanglement in a bitter ideological debate." The disagreement is between gay rights advocates who "insist that any effective anti-bullying program must include specific components addressing harassment of gay youth." Meanwhile, "religious conservatives condemn that approach as an unnecessary and manipulative tactic to sway young people's views of homosexuality." The Olweus Bullying Prevention Program, "one of the largest in the nation...strives to serve schools ranging from progressive to conservative." Olweus' "community-by-community approach...enables schools to tailor the program as they see fit in regard to anti-gay bullying." Meanwhile, New York City schools' Respect for All Initiative "makes specific mention of sexual orientation in its anti-bullying training for teachers and its materials for students."
Schundler Says New Jersey Governor Feared Appearance Of Giving In To Teachers Union. The __New York Times__ (10/8, Pena) reports that former New Jersey education commissioner Bret D. Schundler on Thursday "told a State Senate hearing" that "before rejecting a compromise with teachers that would have" helped the state win a federal Race to the Top grant, Gov. Chris Christie's (R) "main objection was that it would appear that he had given in to the teachers' union." At the "hearing investigating the loss of the federal grant," Schundler also told lawmakers "that in his conversation with the governor, in May, he had explained that it was the union that had given ground, and that the administration had won nearly everything it wanted." But Christie, "who had battled the union all year," was more concerned with how the compromise "would be perceived," he noted. Meanwhile, Christie's press secretary Michael Drewniak said that the governor "had rejected the plan because it 'fell far short of the education reforms the governor has long endorsed.'"
Report Says Effects Of Recession Likely To Impact School Districts For Years.
Sean Cavanagh wrote in the __Education Week__ (10/7) "State EdWatch" blog that a new report by the Center for Public Education says that "school districts around the country are laying off teachers, cutting instructional programs, and eliminating student activities as they absorb the lingering effects of 'The Great Recession.'" And, it says, it may take "up to a decade...for district budgets to recover to their pre-recession levels," as the budgets will likely be impacted by "lagging home prices, poor state budgets, and reduced federal stimulus funding, which is expected to run out by 2011." In addition, districts "are complying with the 'underfunded mandates' of the Individuals with Disabilities Act and the No Child Left Behind Act, as well as with their own states' academic requirements," which has further impact on their budgets, study authors say.
New Jersey District to Post Teacher Evaluations Online
__New Jersey.com__ (10/10, Zimmer) reported that "West Milford will join other school districts throughout the state in posting teacher evaluations online this month." The district will not post teachers' names with the evaluations, only "the number of teachers evaluated and the number of teachers that are not effectively teaching – based on standards set by the school district itself." According to New Jersey.com, the information can "provide local stakeholders with an idea of the standards individual districts set for their faculty" and could be used to compare West Milford schools with other districts. "However, such comparisons aren't likely to be accurate, due to varying methods of evaluation through the state."
California Law To Raise Kindergarten Eligibility Age.
The __San Diego Union-Tribune__ (10/5, Persinger) reports that California officials expect the Kindergarten Readiness Act of 2010, now signed into law, "to reduce the current 460,000 kindergarten students each year by 120,000 children once it is fully phased in. ... Under the law, the [kindergarten] eligibility date will move up by one month each year until 2014, when only children who turn 5 years old by Sept. 1 will be allowed to enroll." According to the Union-Tribune, "Supporters of the law say the youngest kindergartners lack the physical, emotional and even intellectual maturity to deal with today's kindergarten, which focuses more on academics than finger painting."Los Angeles Bemoans Exclusion From Layoff Negotiations.
The __Los Angeles Times__ (9/7, Blume, Song) reports that leaders of the United Teachers Los Angeles (UTLA) yesterday "angrily denounced" an agreement between the Los Angeles BOE and the ACLU "that would result in sweeping changes to teacher seniority protections." Though the UTLA "was a defendant in [a] lawsuit" filed by the ACLU "over layoff procedures that effectively decimated the staffs of three schools serving low-income minority students," the teachers union "was not involved in the negotiations that led to Tuesday's resolution." Regarding the tentative agreement, UTLA President A.J. Duffy said, "The policy is disturbing and it's disturbing because we weren't involved in the process. .. We should have been consulted and we weren't. There is a growing pattern within the district and the board majority to leave teachers out of the discussion and the debate."The __AP__ (10/10, Crary) reported that "a spate of teen suicides linked to anti-gay harassment is prompting school officials nationwide to rethink their efforts against bullying -- and in the process, risk entanglement in a bitter ideological debate." The disagreement is between gay rights advocates who "insist that any effective anti-bullying program must include specific components addressing harassment of gay youth." Meanwhile, "religious conservatives condemn that approach as an unnecessary and manipulative tactic to sway young people's views of homosexuality." The Olweus Bullying Prevention Program, "one of the largest in the nation...strives to serve schools ranging from progressive to conservative." Olweus' "community-by-community approach...enables schools to tailor the program as they see fit in regard to anti-gay bullying." Meanwhile, New York City schools' Respect for All Initiative "makes specific mention of sexual orientation in its anti-bullying training for teachers and its materials for students."
The __New York Times__ (10/8, Pena) reports that former New Jersey education commissioner Bret D. Schundler on Thursday "told a State Senate hearing" that "before rejecting a compromise with teachers that would have" helped the state win a federal Race to the Top grant, Gov. Chris Christie's (R) "main objection was that it would appear that he had given in to the teachers' union." At the "hearing investigating the loss of the federal grant," Schundler also told lawmakers "that in his conversation with the governor, in May, he had explained that it was the union that had given ground, and that the administration had won nearly everything it wanted." But Christie, "who had battled the union all year," was more concerned with how the compromise "would be perceived," he noted. Meanwhile, Christie's press secretary Michael Drewniak said that the governor "had rejected the plan because it 'fell far short of the education reforms the governor has long endorsed.'"
Report Says Effects Of Recession Likely To Impact School Districts For Years.
Sean Cavanagh wrote in the __Education Week__ (10/7) "State EdWatch" blog that a new report by the Center for Public Education says that "school districts around the country are laying off teachers, cutting instructional programs, and eliminating student activities as they absorb the lingering effects of 'The Great Recession.'" And, it says, it may take "up to a decade...for district budgets to recover to their pre-recession levels," as the budgets will likely be impacted by "lagging home prices, poor state budgets, and reduced federal stimulus funding, which is expected to run out by 2011." In addition, districts "are complying with the 'underfunded mandates' of the Individuals with Disabilities Act and the No Child Left Behind Act, as well as with their own states' academic requirements," which has further impact on their budgets, study authors say.New Jersey District to Post Teacher Evaluations Online
__New Jersey.com__ (10/10, Zimmer) reported that "West Milford will join other school districts throughout the state in posting teacher evaluations online this month." The district will not post teachers' names with the evaluations, only "the number of teachers evaluated and the number of teachers that are not effectively teaching – based on standards set by the school district itself." According to New Jersey.com, the information can "provide local stakeholders with an idea of the standards individual districts set for their faculty" and could be used to compare West Milford schools with other districts. "However, such comparisons aren't likely to be accurate, due to varying methods of evaluation through the state."